You don't need to pay to get the best antivirus software.
Avira AntiVir was rated one of the top programs by AV-comparatives.org. Click here to download the free
version. There is a free combination antivirus and
firewall from Comodo. This was highly
recommended by users as reported to WindowsSecrets. [Paragraph added
August 2009 by Bruce Saunders.]
The resources below were provided by Bruce Martin at the club meeting in
November 2003 -- updated May 2005 by Bruce Saunders.
Anti-virus software is essential for everyone using the Internet for
e-mail. The best known are Norton
AntiVirus from Symantec and McAfee AntiVirus.
There are some free programs from Grisoft and Avast.
Viruses can be researched at the Symantec site. Do this to
determine if a virus warning you receive is a hoax.
Firewalls keep the hackers out, and those with high-speed Internet
connections should have one. Windows XP has a built-in
firewall, but it must be activated by the user, unless you have SP2
installed. It does not stop programs running on your machine from sending data
out to the Internet like ZoneAlarm would do. ZoneAlarm
is an excellent free firewall, and there is a "pro" version. Also consider the
free Sygate
firewall.
Verify your firewall's effectiveness, or see what your vulnerabilities
are, by going to Gibson Research and utilizing the free Shields Up resource to check for open
ports.
If you want to find out who owns a domain name, go to InterNIC.
